Wobby and spaced out: is this normal?

[BeeBread]

I'm 28 weeks' and have posted before about my breathlessness but in the last couple of days I've also been feeling a bit, well, odd.

I keep feeling a bit spaced out and wobbly, and have been wondering about gestational diabetes - but haven't tested positive for it as far as I'm aware. I find myself sitting down at every opportunity - it's not that I can't stand, but subconsciously it feels sensible not to be stood IYSWIM.

Today I was coming down a flight of stairs, and fortunately had a firm grip on the handrail as I was very conscious of the wobbliness, but then my legs just went and I tumbled a couple of steps. A very nice chap caught me and I never let go of the handrail, so avoided landing anywhere near the bump or other injury. But I am feeling a bit sorry for myself.

Is anyone else feeling like this? It is so vague, I feel daft for making anything of it - but will be avoiding stairs and escalators now I think.

Have you had blood pressure checked and iron levels? Could be either of those. Eaten enough? If you're worried then I'd see the gp to make sure nothing is wrong.

FFS Wobbly not wobby.

Hi Cheese, thanks for the message.

Last blood pressure was taken a couple of weeks ago, but was fine at 100/60.

I'm waiting for blood results generally but have recently prescribed myself an iron supplement as I thought the breathlessness could be down to anaemia (which I developed in the third trimester with DC1). I've been taking it for 4 days, so maybe I need to give it a bit longer to work.

Am eating like a horse - constantly hungry and putting on loads of weight - which is partly why I wondered about GD (in a completely ignorant way!).

That's on the low side for BP, mine is often around that and sometimes lower and I do feel it especially when standing up etc. It could be that which is making you feel a bit spaced out. Are you taking spatone? I know low iron can make you feel rubbish too, often low myself, I think my level was about 10 early in pregnancy so it's probably lower by now.

I have gestational diabetes (am on insulin) and if sugar goes high I do feel it, same as really low. Can be shaky, not quite with it, spacey etc and that's low. With high blood sugar I tend to feel shaky inside, a bit hyper and I read someone describe it as crawling out of their skin which is a good description.

Have you had any sugar in your urine at all?

Are you drinking enough? I feel like that occasionally but a sit down and a pint of squash drunk slowly over 15 minutes usually helps.

caveat- I know that I don't have GTT, anaemia or low/high blood pressure all of which could cause the OP's symptoms.

Cheese - interesting what you say about high and low sugar. My symptoms are closer to your low sugar symptoms; I don't feel in any way hyper, more dreamy/not all there. Makes it hard to concentrate at work sometimes, I find myself losing track mid-sentence.

I am taking Spatone, but only recently and that seems to have helped a bit already with some of my breathlessness issues - before then I was having moments of being out of breath when MNing sat down doing nothing. Now it's only when I'm walking at least, but it still feels like I'm operating at altitude.

haddock I am definitely going to try to drink more tomorrow. I think I'm getting lazy, as the kitchen is about 50 metres miles away at work. Would be a nice easy solution.

Bee,

That sounds very much like low iron levels - I had it with my last pregnancy and didn't realise I had it again as I hadn't realised breathlessness was a symptom. The other repeated 'symptom' I had was a craving for ice cubes - apparently wanting non-food items such as ice or paper is quite a common side effect too.
I'd chase up your MW for blood test results - last time round, I didn't find out for 6 weeks and was SO annnoyed as I'd just presumed I felt rough due to being pg with a toddler - and it was so easily rectified. Sounds as if you're doing the right thing in any event in taking extra stuff, but MW should at least be able to set your mind at rest. Would also suggest taking spatone with orange juice to help with the absorption - though you probably already know that.

Good luck!